Tonight's beer: Samuel Adams White Christmas
Caramel and pale bread, with dark baking spices layered in—nutmeg, ginger, cloves/allspice, maybe a touch of cinnamon. Some citrus pith and peel dancing around the edges. Pepper probably from wheat emerges strong through the middle. Never all that sweet, but finishes pretty dry, with a flicker of grassy-floral bitterness. Distant impressions of smoke.
Light-bodied, with a lot of carbonation. Some distinct smoothness appropriate for a wheat beer. Drying and immensely refreshing. A little chewiness toward the finish, but no real stickiness. Clean and cleansing and scrubbing.
An interesting Xmas-themed take on a witbier. I'm not sure how I feel about the spicing here; I can't figure out if the dissonance I'm experiencing is real or just my expectations kicking me in the head. Intense and complex; a bit heavy on the spice, but nicely-integrated—and, hey, it's an Xmas beer. It's nice to see something new and different from a brewery big enough one might expect them to play it safe.
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| Samuel Adams White Christmas |
Caramel and pale bread, with dark baking spices layered in—nutmeg, ginger, cloves/allspice, maybe a touch of cinnamon. Some citrus pith and peel dancing around the edges. Pepper probably from wheat emerges strong through the middle. Never all that sweet, but finishes pretty dry, with a flicker of grassy-floral bitterness. Distant impressions of smoke.
Light-bodied, with a lot of carbonation. Some distinct smoothness appropriate for a wheat beer. Drying and immensely refreshing. A little chewiness toward the finish, but no real stickiness. Clean and cleansing and scrubbing.
An interesting Xmas-themed take on a witbier. I'm not sure how I feel about the spicing here; I can't figure out if the dissonance I'm experiencing is real or just my expectations kicking me in the head. Intense and complex; a bit heavy on the spice, but nicely-integrated—and, hey, it's an Xmas beer. It's nice to see something new and different from a brewery big enough one might expect them to play it safe.
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